Rail-bending tool



(No Model.)

J; R. JAMES.

RAIL BENDING TOOL.

No. 426,277. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES ROWLAND JAMES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAlL-BENDING TOOL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 426,277, dated April 22, 1890.

Application filed February 13, 1890. Serial No. 340,250. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES ROWLAND JAMES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Bcnding Tools, of which the following is a specification.

My invention in general relates to a railbending tool in which a beam is provided at the respective extremities with jaws for holdng or supporting the rail at two points, and in Which a bending-head engaging with the rail between' the two jaws is moved transversely of the beam, in order to bend the portion of the rail between the two points of support with reference to the beam; but my invention relates more particularly to the mechanism for moving the bending-head transversely of the beam.

Heretofore it has been customary to provide the beam with a threaded aperture and to insert a solid externally-threaded bolt pivotally engaging with the bending-head through said aperture, and so that the bending-head might be moved transversely of the beam by rotating the bolt; but this arrangement presented in practice several serious disadvantages: First, the threads formed or out upon the surface of the bolt and of the aperture rapidly become worn or abraded, thereby rendering the tool useless; second, the tool was adapted to bend rails of a certain configuration and could not be applied to other types of rails, because the bending-head was not detachable from the threaded screw, and, third, the friction between the bending-head and bolt was excessive, and it has longbeen sought to overcome these objectionable features. Furthermore, rail-bending tools have been provided in which a nut was interposed between the beam and the bending-head, and engaging with portions of both moved the bendinghead transversely of the beam; but this 0011- st-ruction, although it obviated some of the above-mentioned disadvantages, still presented, among others, the following: First, the threadformed on a portion of the beam rapidly wore out, thereby rendering the most expensive part of the tool worthless, and,second,

the nut being interposed between the beam and the bending-head unduly limited the extent or range of movement of the latter.

The principal objects of my invention are, first, to obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages; second, to provide a simple, durable, and efficient rail-bending tool, and, third, to provide a rail-bending tool with interchangeable parts.

My inventionconsists of arail-bending tool provided. with mechanism for moving the bending-head transversely of the beam, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more fully understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, and in which Figure l is an elevation of a rail-bending tool embodying my invention and showing the mechanism for moving the bending-head transversely of the beam. Fig. 2 is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the beam and a vertical section through one of the jaws thereof and with a frictional roller mounted therein. Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 00 a; of Fig. 1, showing one of the jaws for holding the rail, the beam of an inverted-T shape in section, and a friction-roll journaled in said jaw. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line y y of Fig. 1, showing the rail-bending tool in application, and also the mechanism for actuating the bending-head transversely of the beam. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line a z of Fig. 1, showing the relative positions of the various parts constituting the mechanism for actuating the bending-head.

In the drawings, A is a beam of steel or other material, and preferably in section of a T shape, and having arms or extensions a and a secured to or formed. integral therewith.

a are jaws or recesses formed or cut in the arms or extensions a and a and adapted for the reception of the rail D. The jaws a formed in the arms or extensions (1 and a, may be recessed, as shown in Figs. 4 and t,

for the reception of the rollers a mounted on spindles 60 which are suitably journaled in said jaws. These rollers are provided in the jaws for the purpose of diminishing the frict-lon between the rail and the tool. Of course it will be understood that these rollers may be dispensed with, if desired; but, however, preference is given to the construction of the tool as illustrated in 4 and 4:, because friction is fully compensated for by .the application of the rollers a thereto.

1) is an internally-threaded nut or bushing fitted and keyed, Fig. 6, to place in an aperture formed in the center of the beam A.

B is an internally and externally threaded sleeve provided with a head I). The external thread of the sleeve B engages with the internal thread'formed upon the nut or bushing 1). Of course the bushing?) may be omitted and the aperture in the beam B in tern ally threaded, but preference is given to the employment of the bushing, because it may be readily removed when worn or abraded and a new one inserted. In operation the sleeve B is rotated by means of hand-bars inserted into the apertures 6 formed in the head I).

O is an externally-threaded lug secured to or formed integral with the bendingdiead c, and adapted to engage with and screw into the internally-threaded sleeve 13.

c is a recess formed in the bending-head c for engaging with the rail D.

It may be remarked that the internal and external threads formed upon the sleeve B are of opposite pitch. For example, if the exterior thread is formed right-handed, then the interior thread is formed left-handed, so that if the sleeve B is rotated and the screw 0 is prevented from rotating the latter is moved telescopically into or out of the former, as will be readily understood by reference t the drawings.

The mode of operation of my invention may be described as follows: The rail D is placed in the jaws a Fig. 5, in the usual or anypreferred manner, care being exercised to see that the bolt 0 is well out of the sleeve B in order to obviate friction incident to the contact of the end surface of the screw C with the interior end surface of the sleeve B. The bending-head c is then brought into contact with the rail D, and this result may be readily accomplished by turning the screw B by hand. In order to bend the rail, the head I), and with it the sleeve B, is rotated by means of the hand-bars inserted into the apertures W. The rotation of the sleeve B causes the same to advance through the stationary bushing b, and at the same time the lug C, being prevented from rotation by the engagement of the recess 0 with the rail D, is screwed forward and outward. The forward motion of the lug C, and with it the bending-head c, forces the portion of the rail D between the arms a and a away from the beam A, thereby bending the rail. This operation is continued until the desired curvature is given to the rail. However, if the rail by accident or mistake is bent too much, this maybe corrected and the desired curvature obtained by turning the rail or tool over and placing the highest point of the curve of the rail against the bending-head c and then forcing the bending-head 0 forward, as above described.

It will be obvious that if any of the parts of the mechanismfonmoving the head become worn or otherwise injured they maybe readily removed and others inserted, and that the beam, the most expensive part, is always available unless broken. Moreover, if the recess a in the bending-head c is not adapted to properly engage with the rail D, it maybe readily removed and another bending-head employed and such as is adapted to engage with the rail.

Having thus described the nature and obj ects of my invention,what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a rail-bending tool, of a beam having jaws for engaging a rail, an internally-threaded bushing keyed to said beam, a bending-head adapted to engage with the rail, and an internally and externally threaded sleeve engaging with said bushing and with a portion of said bending-head, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, in a rail-bending tool, of a beam having jaws for engaging a rail, an intern ally-threaded bushing keyed in an aperture formed in said beam, a bending-head adapted to engage with said railand provided with a threaded lug, and an internally and externally threaded sleeve passing through said bushing and over said threaded lug and engaging with both, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination, in a rail-bending tool, of abeam havingjaws for engaging a rail, and a bending-head adapted to engage with said rail and having an externally-threaded lug, and an externally and internally threaded sleeve passing through a threaded aperture in the center of said beam and over said threaded lug and engaging therewith, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES ROWVLAND JAMES. Witnesses:

GEO. W. REED, CHAS. C. COLLIER. 

